Leveraging printing standoff distance in three-dimensional printing to enhance part separation and system and methods thereof

Abstract

A method of forming a three-dimensional printed part is disclosed which includes positioning a printing system at a first standoff position under a first condition. The method also includes positioning the printing system at a second standoff position under a second condition. The method of forming a three-dimensional printed part may include where one of the first condition and second condition may include a printing material drop being ejecting onto a surface of a substrate. The printing material drop may include a metal, a metallic alloy, or a combination thereof. A printing system and a three-dimensional printed part employed the method is also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of forming a three-dimensional printed part, comprising:
 positioning a printing system at a first standoff position under a first condition; and   positioning the printing system at a second standoff position under a second condition.   
     
     
         2 . The method of forming a three-dimensional printed part of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first condition and second condition comprises a printing material drop being ejecting onto a surface of a substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The method of forming a three-dimensional printed part of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first condition and second condition comprises ejecting a printing material drop onto a predetermined location of a three-dimensional printed part. 
     
     
         4 . The method of forming a three-dimensional printed part of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first condition and second condition comprises ejecting a printing drop onto a surface associated with a breakaway layer of a three-dimensional printed part. 
     
     
         5 . The method of forming a three-dimensional printed part of  claim 1 , further comprising moving a nozzle of the printing system from a first standoff position to a second standoff position while forming a three-dimensional printed part. 
     
     
         6 . The method of forming a three-dimensional printed part of  claim 5 , further comprising moving the nozzle in a z-direction to the first standoff position. 
     
     
         7 . The method of forming a three-dimensional printed part of  claim 5 , further comprising moving the nozzle in a z-direction to the second standoff position. 
     
     
         8 . The method of forming a three-dimensional printed part of  claim 5 , further comprising moving a substrate in a z-direction to the first standoff position. 
     
     
         9 . The method of forming a three-dimensional printed part of  claim 5 , further comprising moving a substrate in a z-direction to the second standoff position. 
     
     
         10 . The method of forming a three-dimensional printed part of  claim 2 , wherein the printing material drop comprises a metal, a metallic alloy, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . A method of forming a three-dimensional printed part, comprising:
 positioning a printing system such that a nozzle of an ejector for the printing system is at a first standoff position relative to a substrate;   ejecting a plurality of liquid metal print material drops from the nozzle to form a first layer of a three-dimensional printed part onto the substrate;   positioning the printing system such that the nozzle is at a second standoff position relative to a top surface of the first layer; and   printing one or more layers of the three-dimensional printed part from the second standoff position and onto the first layer.   
     
     
         12 . The method of forming a three-dimensional printed part of  claim 11 , further comprising removing the three-dimensional printed part from the substrate. 
     
     
         13 . The method of forming a three-dimensional printed part of  claim 12 , wherein the substrate comprises a top surface layer comprising nickel oxide. 
     
     
         14 . The method of forming a three-dimensional printed part of  claim 11 , further comprising moving the nozzle or printhead in a z-direction to adjust to the first standoff position. 
     
     
         15 . The method of forming a three-dimensional printed part of  claim 11 , further comprising moving the nozzle or printhead in a z-direction to adjust to the second standoff position. 
     
     
         16 . The method of forming a three-dimensional printed part of  claim 11 , further comprising moving the substrate in a z-direction to adjust to the first standoff position. 
     
     
         17 . The method of forming a three-dimensional printed part of  claim 11 , further comprising moving the substrate in a z-direction to adjust to the second standoff position. 
     
     
         18 . The method of forming a three-dimensional printed part of  claim 11 , wherein the liquid metal print material comprises a metal, a metallic alloy, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method of forming a three-dimensional printed part of  claim 18 , wherein the liquid metal print material forms an oxide layer on an outer surface of one or more of the plurality of liquid metal print material drops in atmospheric conditions. 
     
     
         20 . The method of forming a three-dimensional printed part of  claim 18 , wherein the liquid metal print material comprises aluminum. 
     
     
         21 . The method of forming a three-dimensional printed part of  claim 11 , further comprising controlling a quantity of ambient oxygen to oxidize one or more of the plurality of liquid metal print material drops as they are ejected. 
     
     
         22 . The method of forming a three-dimensional printed part of  claim 11 , wherein the first standoff position is from about 25 mm to about 50 mm between the nozzle and the substrate. 
     
     
         23 . The method of forming a three-dimensional printed part of  claim 11 , wherein the second standoff position is from about 8 mm to about 10 mm between the nozzle and a top of the first layer of the three-dimensional printed part. 
     
     
         24 . A method of forming a breakaway layer between a support structure and a three-dimensional printed part, comprising:
 positioning a printing system such that a nozzle of an ejector for the printing system is at a first standoff position relative to a top layer of a support structure;   ejecting a plurality of liquid metal print material drops from the nozzle to form a breakaway layer onto the support structure;   positioning the printing system such that the nozzle is at a second standoff position relative to a top surface of the breakaway layer; and   printing one or more layers of the three-dimensional printed part from the second standoff position and onto the breakaway layer.   
     
     
         25 . The method of forming a breakaway layer between a support structure and a three-dimensional printed part of  claim 24 , further comprising ejecting a plurality of liquid metal print material drops from the nozzle to form additional breakaway layers onto the support structure. 
     
     
         26 . The method of forming a breakaway layer between a support structure and a three-dimensional printed part of  claim 24 , wherein the first standoff position is from about 25 mm to about 50 mm between the nozzle and the top layer of a support structure. 
     
     
         27 . The method of forming a breakaway layer between a support structure and a three-dimensional printed part of  claim 24 , wherein the second standoff position is from about 8 mm to about 10 mm between the nozzle and a top of the breakaway layer of the three-dimensional printed part. 
     
     
         28 . A printing system, comprising:
 a substrate;   an ejector for jetting a print material onto the substrate, comprising:
 a structure defining an inner cavity; and 
 a nozzle orifice in connection with the inner cavity and configured to eject one or more droplets of liquid print material; and wherein: 
   the ejector is configured to print a first layer of a three-dimensional printed part from a first standoff position relative to the substrate; and   the ejector is configured to print one or more remaining layers onto the first layer from a second standoff position relative to a top surface of the first layer.   
     
     
         29 . The printing system of  claim 28 , wherein the print material comprises a metal, a metallic alloy, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         30 . The printing system of  claim 29 , wherein the printing material forms an oxide layer when exposed to atmospheric conditions. 
     
     
         31 . The printing system of  claim 28 , wherein the substrate comprises a top surface layer of nickel oxide. 
     
     
         32 . The printing system of  claim 28 , wherein the printing system further comprises a substrate control motor. 
     
     
         33 . A three-dimensional printed part, comprising:
 a first layer of a metal print material disposed onto a substrate;   a second layer of the metal print material disposed onto the first layer of the metal print material; and wherein:   the first layer of the metal print material comprises an oxidizing metal; and   a surface of the substrate comprises an oxidizing metal.   
     
     
         34 . The three-dimensional printed part of  claim 33 , wherein the metal print material comprises aluminum. 
     
     
         35 . The three-dimensional printed part of  claim 33 , wherein the surface of the substrate comprises nickel. 
     
     
         36 . The three-dimensional printed part of  claim 33 , wherein the first layer of the metal print material is disposed onto the substrate from a distance between a nozzle of a printing system and the substrate of from about 25 mm and about 40 mm.